Jennie Jones

What does a house or a home mean to characters in a book? With the upcoming release of my fourth book in the Swallow’s Fall series, The Turnaround Treasure Shop, I decided to go outside my four walls and ask my neighbours - authors of contemporary and historical fiction. For the next few days special guest authors talk us through A house is a home when…It's WEDNESDAY and I'm welcoming ELIZA REDGOLD!

The Book: NAKED: A Novel of Lady Godiva will be released internationally by St Martin’s Press, New York in July 2015 and is available for pre-order now.

Character: Lady Godiva of Coventry. She of the famous ride…

(A much anticipated book, already getting a lot of attention.)

Character: Lady Godiva of Coventry. Character bio: Godiva of Coventry, a beautiful young Saxon noblewoman, has vowed to protect her land and her people: whatever the cost. It may cost her virtue. It may cost her heart. It may cost her life.

An excerpt of Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva by Eliza Redgold:

From the top of the hill I could see it all.The Middle Lands. The land of my people, the land of my cyn, my kin. The land I loved.Below the town lay, its streets fanned like the bones of a fish, thatched roofs still dappled with late winter snow. Smoke curled from the roof holes, above the cauldrons cooking on the flames, full of hearty briw. My stomach rumbled.Beyond the town the smaller villages clustered like children at a mother’s skirts. Nurtured by the farming land, green and white fields striped here and there with brown. Sheltered by the wildwoods of Arden. Sacred, magic, too far to see. Where I loved to ride.At one end of the main street our thatched hall loomed, tall and proud within its pickets, the watch tower pointed high. At the other soared the cross of the new church my father had built. A Christ’s mass gift for my mother, for the town.“I won’t stop there,” he’d vowed. “I’ll rebuild our church and our hall, not in wattle and clay, but in stone. Here in the Middle Lands we shall have a fortress, a castle fit for a king and queen, with strong walls and a watch tower that can never be burnt. I’ll build in stone, yes, in stone.”“Better to have castles made of wood than made of air, Radulf.” My mother had teased.In reply he’d laughed. “Indeed, Morwen. But dreams must come first.”Dreams must come first.Leaning forward, I raised my face, as a snowdrop seeks a slant of sun.I too had dreams.

What makes a house a home for Lady Godiva?

For Lady Godiva of Coventry, her home and her people are one and the same. All around her, Anglo Saxon Engla-lond is torn apart by war and invasion. No united kingdom, it is split in two. To the east, the Danes govern under their harsh law where once noble Saxons have become no more than slaves. To the north and west, the Saxons still cling to power. After the death of Godiva’s father, all eyes have fallen upon Coventry, a small but strategic Saxon stronghold, lying like a jewel, deep in the Middle Lands. Lady Godiva has a choice: to marry Saxon Lord Leofric, a man she barely knows, or lose her inheritance, the land she loves. To defeat their common foe Godiva and Leofric must stand together – but has she let an enemy inside her gates? What must she do to save her home and her people?

An excerpt from Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva by Eliza Redgold:

“I have a choice!” I held my ground. “These are my lands, and it’s the right of a Saxon noblewoman to marry with her consent. Do you dare to take that right from me too?”“Perhaps you ought to consider what’s more important. Your lands … or your husband?”

Naked by Eliza Redgold

The back cover blurb of Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva

We know her name. We know of her naked ride. We don't know her true story.

We all know the legend of Lady Godiva, who famously rode naked through the streets of Coventry, covered only by her long, flowing hair. So the story goes, she begged her husband Lord Leofric of Mercia to lift a high tax on her people, who would starve if forced to pay. Lord Leofric demanded a forfeit: that Godiva ride naked on horseback through the town. There are various endings to Godiva's ride, that all the people of Coventry closed their doors and refused to look upon their liege lady (except for 'peeping Tom') and that her husband, in remorse, lifted the tax.

"Nakedis an original version of Godiva's tale with a twist that may be closer to the truth: by the end of his life Leofric had fallen deeply in love with Lady Godiva. A tale of legendary courage and extraordinary passion,Nakedbrings an epic story new voice."

Find out more about the much anticipated and talked about Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva or find more of Eliza's contemporary books over on elizaredgold.com webpage.

And pop back tomorrow to see the next of my special guest authors and discover what a house or home means to a character from a much loved international bestselling Australian author:

The character loves her career but wants more. The problem is - she's got a reputation!

What delicious writing. Between that and the cover I'm INTRIGUED. I've always been fascinated by this woman's story and the image of her, long haired and naked riding bareback. It's so erotic. Thanks for previewing this book, Jennie. And congratulations Eliza, it looks amazing!

Reply

bn100

20/5/2015 09:06:30 pm

sounds interesting

Reply

Jennie Jones

31/5/2015 08:04:41 am

A SURPRISE! Mary Preston – Eliza Redgold is has put names in her academic/romantic hat and is going to gift you a copy of her book. Eliza will contact you via the (private) email address you left your comment with. Congrats, Mary! xx